As if maintaining your ATM fleet didn’t come with enough headaches and expenses, the imminent sunsetting of the most widely used ATM hardware/software in the U.S. is forcing banks to re-evaluate their fleet and ATM strategy going forward.
Two of the largest ATM manufacturers in the U.S. have announced plans to discontinue support, or “sunset,” their most popular ATM products. This means roughly 50% of U.S. ATMs will need to be replaced or upgraded within the next two years and it comes with a hefty price tag. Chances are your bank falls into the majority that will be required to pour additional investment into an ATM fleet that already comes with a laundry list of expenses and tedious management tasks that eat away at precious staff time and capital.
While banks weigh their options on how to handle the sunsetting of their ATMs, it’s also important to keep in mind the shift we see in the financial services landscape. Meaning: how do your ATMs fit into the digital era and the self-service expectations of your account holders? What hardware should you be considering to future-proof your investment? When and where should new machines factor into your plans? The list goes on.
How and when to invest in ATM fleets is becoming a growing topic as banks of all sizes are looking to the future, laying out their plans for “digital branch transformation” and incorporating more advanced and sophisticated ATMs into those plans. These new machines may be deposit-taking ATMs, “future-proofed” ATMs with equipment that streamlines upgrades when needed, or they could be the top of the line: Interactive Teller Machines (ITMs).
Which asks the new question: Should ITMs be implemented into your plans?
We see heightened interest in banks eager to leap to ITMs, and who can blame them? This is the direction the financial services world is being pulled by digital consumers who demand convenience and self-service. ITMs also allow banks to extend service hours, increase their footprint with mini-branches, and reduce staff and overhead costs per transaction. But, ITMs come with a significant investment, so many banks are taking an interim step into a future-proofed ATM carrying hardware that is easily upgraded for seamless ITM conversion down the road.
The looming sunsetting of ATMs means the clock is ticking, and pressure is being put on banks to make buying decisions regarding their ATM fleets. But, as we have discussed, decisions made now will have a big impact on consumer service capabilities for years, and investment should be carefully considered to align with your long-term ATM/ITM strategy.
With staff and budgets stretched thin, your bank simply may not have the capacity to prioritize your ATM/ITM strategy. You’re not alone, and there are options available to help guide your institution through the changing ATM/ITM technology and self-service expectations. ATM Outsourcing, ATM Managed services, ATM-As-AService, or any other way you want to define the solution makes more sense now than ever. Change is rapid, and consumer expectations are shifting. Now is the time to adapt and position your financial institution for success in the digital era.
Dolphin Debit’s fully funded, turnkey approach to ATM outsourcing has proven to be the ultimate tool for financial institutions to seamlessly adopt new ATM/ITM technology and maneuver ATM sunsetting plans without sacrificing precious capital. Whether you have ATMs looming sunset, outdated machines, or want to explore ITMs, Dolphin Debit will provide the capital necessary to upgrade machines or replace them with brand new equipment on your behalf. A suite of ATM management services combined with expert consulting removes the burden of operations from staff. It assures your ATM/ITM strategy is poised to align with your short and long-term institutional goals.
